First box = Success!!

I have to be honest. Though I've been reading up on this for months and trying new recipes to get prepared, a part of me is still completely nervous that I am going to end up wasting so much food, or gagging trying to force myself to eat veggies. Or as my husband says, "I don't want to be eating this just for the sake of eating this." However it is only Sunday, just a few days after my first pickup, and I've almost used everything in my box already. Woohoo! And not only that, but everything I made was pretty much delicious. Of course now I just have to wait until the actual season starts now.

So here's what's left: the very center of what was a large head of buttercrunch lettuce, about 1/2 bag of spinach, the kohlrabi, and somehow about a cup of strawberries has survived (though they will not make it until tomorrow- some yogurt is calling my name tonight!). Surprisingly the first thing that was used up was the dreaded radishes, yet every meal I made out of them we enjoyed. Thanks to the AA facebook page for the recipe suggestions! (By the way, AA stands for Avalon Acres, not Alcoholics Anonymous. Glad we got that clarified.)

Here's some of the recipes we used in the past few days. I apologize in advance if I do not cite the source correctly; I'm pretty new to blogging and still figuring out the etiquette.

Radish Top Soup: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/radish-top-soup/detail.aspx
This is basically a creamy potato soup with the greens from the radishes cooked in. The whole soup gets put through a blender so it turns a pale green color. Honestly, it's ugly. If someone handed me a bowl without telling me a thing about it, I would frantically try to find a way to dump it into the nearest houseplant without being seen. But it is FABULOUS. Probably the best recipe I tried this week. I tried it first as the recipe is written, b/c I firmly believe any well rated recipe should be tried once as it. However, I can't leave well enough alone, and I love to be creative with my food, so the second go round I made a few changes. I used both green onions and a vidalia onion, I added some spinach in with the radish greens, I used half and half instead of cream to make it a little lighter, and I tossed in a handful or two of sharp cheddar. I also served it with this bread: Italian Supermarket Bread I think this will make a great soup base for a variety of greens if I end up clueless what to do with them.

Just look at all the green!!

I told you it wasn't pretty. Looks can be deceiving.

 Grilled Dill Radish Packets: http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/07/20/grilled-radish-packets-recipe/
This was an AA gem (Thanks Mary Grace!). Since I wasn't grilling on this day, I just threw everything in foil as directed, but put it in the oven at about 350-375 for 20 minutes, then let it sit for 5 out of the oven as suggested. The radishes were surprisingly tender, and had good flavor. I did accidentally leave out the vinegar, and I think that caused them to have a bit of a bitter aftertaste, but now I know. One of the AA members said if she didn't have fresh dill, she used dried dillweed. She also said she tried it with some butter and red wine, and it tasted great. So go crazy!

Strawberry Pie: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-pie/detail.aspx
This took care of a good bit of my strawberries. Even though the pie was pretty good, I kind of regret using my strawberries for this. They have been excellent in smoothies, mixed in with yogurt, sliced on cereal, and just plain good. I think I'm just going to have to go strawberry picking ASAP, b/c I'm not done craving them yet! Here's hoping the crop at AA is still going strong!

Three Cheese Semolina Bread: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/three-cheese-semolina-bread-recipe#fragement-2
Now, this isn't an AA recipe, but I did make it this week and it was a great bread. I am obsessed with all things King Arthur Flour, and I check their website almost every week to try a new bread as well. This one would be great with some italian food, particularly something with a strong tomato taste to it. I added some garlic powder and italian seasoning to it. I forgot to take an after shot, but look how pretty the dough is!

Look at all the fun bubbles!

We used our lettuce for salads. Spinach in salads and smoothies, and yes, my kids still drank them. I use onions in just about everything. Oh! And I almost forgot! Today I used our grill on some AA pork ribs. We put a dry rub on them and slow cooked them for about 3-1/2 hours. They were easily the best ribs I have ever made. It was a great start for our meat, especially since that's the thing my hubs is so excited about. Doesn't that sound just like a man? Screw the veggies, bring on the meat! Hehe.

Before being slathered in BBQ sauce. Sooo good.

I told you they wouldn't make it until tomorrow. Nom nom nom!

So now I just have my kohlrabi to roast, and a couple of salads to eat and it will be all gone. No waste or food thrown away, and I am completely satisfied. Actually, more than that, I am thrilled. It wasn't even hard. Here's hoping the rest of the season goes so smoothly! Although my daughter, K, summed up her feelings pretty quickly the first day, "I want to eat vegetables! I want to eat vegetables, Mom!" (sees strawberries) "Uh, I just want strawberries."

Lastly, I know there's not much on it yet, but I have started a board on Pinterest (sigh/yay!) for CSA recipes to try. I also try to keep my cooking boards updated for things I want to cook, or reviews for pins I have cooked. Feel free to follow me and check it out: http://pinterest.com/sammieb81/ Alright, I'm off to bed! I probably won't post again until after our next delivery on May 9. See you guys then! I'm already excited!

-Sam